A farmer was killed after he was dragged into machinery by his shoe lace.
Sheep breeder Jim Sharp, from Lauder in the Scottish Borders, suffered multiple injuries after the lace wrapped around a rotating blade and dragged him into a barley silo.
A fatal accident inquiry has heard how the 66-year-old died at his farm, Newbigging Walls, on March 17.
Hazel Dobb, an inspector with the Health and Safety Executive, said the electricity supply should have been isolated before the silo was entered to remove the power from the auger.
But because Mr Sharp was self-employed, with no employees, no enforcement action was ever required.
Mr Sharp was a prominent breeder of Blackface sheep and a former livestock convener of NFU Scotland.
He was also a former captain of Melrose Rugby Club.
Procurator fiscal Louise Graham said: “The cause of the accident is that Mr Sharp appears to have entered the grain silo, but there is no evidence as to why that is the case.
“There may well have been a problem with the sweep auger on that date.
“When in the grain silo, his boot lace became entangled with the sweep auger.”
Delivering his determination, Sheriff Peter Paterson extended his sympathies to Mr Sharp’s wife, Obie, and their two children who were in court for the 15 minute hearing.